Shunned by the community, abandoned by the authorities and left contemplating suicide, a man who was wrongly jailed for a brutal car-jacking in 2010 is trying to re-build his life after having his name cleared.

Israr Alsam, from Castlefield, High Wycombe, was found guilty of robbery and driving while disqualified five years ago, and has now admitted he still has nightmares about his time in jail, where he was left fighting for his life after being stabbed.

However, he has always maintained his innocence and the conviction has now been quashed after a judge directed the jury to find him not guilty at a re-trial following a ruling from the court of appeal.

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press, he said: “There are lots of bad memories, a couple of times I wanted to kill myself just to end it - it’s hard, it’s so hard.”

In April 2010, a female shopper at Asda in Cressex, High Wycombe, had her car stolen after being punched in the face by a man – Israr was arrested and charged with the offence one week later.

Bucks Free Press:

In a police interview he is said to have admitted to the crime, but Israr denies what he told officers was true, as he did not know what he was saying having been concussed following a serious car crash.

Despite his protests, the 27-year-old was imprisoned later in 2010 – a punishment which he is still reeling from after losing contact with his former partner and young child.

He is now considering leaving High Wycombe in a bid to try and “get past the injustice”.

And Israr said it is hard to forget what he saw during his time in prison as he fought to clear his name.

He said: “I’ve witnessed so many things which I just have to live with. I’ve seen people cutting themselves.

"One time I gave mouth-to-mouth to someone who died, and I kept thinking there must have been more I could do to save him.”

He added: “All the community leaders and other people are saying that I did this and asking my parents ‘what sort of son have you brought up who takes cars and hits women’. It really hurt my family and there is no way to take that back.

Bucks Free Press:

“I don’t think I can stay here, there are too many bad memories. It would be hard to be away from my family again, but the community leaders, other people, everywhere I go people are having a go at me.

“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I didn’t deserve it. If I did something wrong then I should be punished, but I didn’t do anything – I haven’t done anything wrong.”

He added that he launched the appeal against the 2010 ruling after receiving a lot of help from close family members, friends the High Wycombe Community Advocates group and his solicitors.

Israr was originally released in 2013 on a five-year license, but was remanded for two months this year awaiting his retrial, at which he was found not guilty.